Where: Auvergne, France (46.1° N, 2.9° E: paleocoordinates 40.3° N, 0.7° E)
• coordinate stated in text
• outcrop-level geographic resolution
When: Menat Formation, Selandian (61.6 - 59.2 Ma)
• The estimated age of the Menat site varies. It was previously dated by pollen analysis, mammal stratigraphy, and an unpublished radiometric K/Ar analysis as late Paleocene (see Kedves & Russell 1982). However, several lines of more recent evidence indicate an older, middle Paleocene (Selandian) age, of about 60-61 Ma. Paleomagnetic studies reveal that the eruption took place during a reversed interval (Kedves & Russell 1982). Fossils of the mammal Plesiadapis from Menat enable the locality to be connected to the biostratigraphic framework established in the Western Interior USA that relies extensively on this genus (Gingerich 1976; Secord et al. 2006). The abundance of the genus, its rapid evolution, and its Holarctic dispersal history allow species of Plesiadapis to play an important role in the zonation of Paleocene continental sediments and in correlation of faunas on both sides of the North Atlantic (e.g., Gingerich 1976). Two remarkable skeletons of P. insignis, one of them nearly complete, have been found in lake deposits at Menat, and this species closely compares to P. praecursor / P. anceps in North America (pers. comm. P. Gingerich August 2008). This suggests an early Selandian age, equivalent to the early Tiffanian Ti-1/Ti-2 land mammal biozonation sensu Secord et al. (2006) (see also Gingerich 1976; Russell 1967, 1975). In North America, the Ti1 and Ti2 biozones occur within magnetic polarity Chron 26r (Secord et al. 2006), consistent with the reversed polarity of the Menat sediments.
Environment/lithology: crater lake; diatomite
Size classes: macrofossils, mesofossils
Preservation: mold/impression
Collected by Piton; reposited in the MNHN
Primary reference: L. Piton. 1940. Paléontologie du Gisement Éocéne de Menat (Puy-de-Dôme) (Flore et Faune) 1-303 [M. Clapham/J. Karr/M. Clapham]more details
Purpose of describing collection: taxonomic analysis
PaleoDB collection 113685: authorized by Matthew Clapham, entered by Jered Karr on 04.08.2011, edited by Philip Mannion
Creative Commons license: CC BY (attribution)
Taxonomic list
Aves | |
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Reptilia | |
Menatalligator bergouniouxi n. gen. n. sp.6
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Lazarussuchus sp.1 Hecht 1992 choristodere BDL 1819 - comprises a skull and postcranial skeleton in articulation, preserved as part and counterpart
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Insecta | |
"Limnobia theobaldi n. sp." = Limonia theobaldi
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Bibio sp. Geoffroy 1762 march fly | |
Chrysops seguyi n. sp.
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"Lestes" zalesskyi n. sp.4
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Hammapteryx eocenicus n. sp.
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Teleocydnus auriculatus n. sp.
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Pycanum griseum n. sp., Pycanum vanvollenhoveni n. sp.
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Coptosoma eocenica n. sp.
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"Aphrophora maculata n. sp." = Aphrophora pitoni5
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Meuniera haupti n. sp.5
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"Rihana beauchampi n. sp." = Chremistica beauchampi
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Bythoscopus pulcher n. sp., Tettigonella chazei n. sp.
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Lithopsis punctinervis n. sp., Lithopsis lineatus n. sp.
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Dictyophara scudderi n. sp., Menatacridium eocenicum n. sp.
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Conocephalus martyi n. sp., Protempusa incerta n. gen. n. sp., Prophasgonura lineatocollis n. gen. n. sp.
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Ochrilidia lineata n. sp.
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Orthacanthacris incertus n. sp.
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"Archaeophlebia enigmatica n. gen. n. sp." = Louispitonia enigmatica, Arvernineura insignis n. gen. n. sp.
"Archaeophlebia enigmatica n. gen. n. sp." = Louispitonia enigmatica Piton 1940 mantis Coll. Piton 640, 641
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Gyna obesa n. sp.
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Prochaeradodis enigmaticus n. gen. n. sp.
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Prostylopyga gigantea n. gen. n. sp., Eoplaneta desforesti, Zeunera superba n. sp., Zeunera madeleinae n. sp., Periplaneta houlberti n. sp., Protectobia primordialis n. gen. n. sp.
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Neotermes grassei n. sp.
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"Eosirex ligniticus n. gen. n. sp." = Urocerus ligniticus
"Eosirex ligniticus n. gen. n. sp." = Urocerus ligniticus Piton 1940 horntail Coll. Piton 743( MNHN IPM-R07004, IPM-B47308)
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"? Phaenolobus arvernus n. sp." = Hallocinetus arvernus
"? Phaenolobus arvernus n. sp." = Hallocinetus arvernus Piton 1940 ichneumon wasp Coll. Piton 663 (MNHN.F.A57301)
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Polistes vergnei n. sp., Eumenes projaponica n. sp., Odynerus manevali n. sp., "Rygchium andrei n. sp." = Rhynchium andrei, Ancistrocerus eocenicus n. sp., Ancistrocerus berlandi n. sp.
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Myrmosa brunnea n. sp.
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Myzine madeleinae n. sp.
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Probombus hirsutus n. gen. n. sp.
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Gorytes statzi n. sp.
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Tenthredo primordialis n. sp.
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Manevalia pachyliformis n. gen. n. sp., Prohepialus incertus n. gen. n. sp.
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Megopis lineolatus n. sp., Acmaeodera perreaui n. sp.
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"Dineutes giganteus n. sp." = Gyretes giganteus
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Bolboceras inermis n. sp.
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Aphodius charauxi n. sp.
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Oxyporus impressus n. sp.
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Phytonomus punctatus n. sp.
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Rhysosternum punctatolineatum n. sp., Hipporhinus ventricosus n. sp., Centrinus longipes n. sp., "Balaninus elegans n. sp." = Menatorhis elegans, Lixus ligniticus n. sp.
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Cryptocephalus minusculus n. sp., "Clythrina eocenica n. gen. n. sp." = Clytrina eocenica, "Haltica dryophyllorum n. sp." = Altica dryophyllorum
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Chlorida magnifica n. sp., Prionus sinuatus n. sp., "Palaeoncoderes piacentinii n. sp." = Palaeoncoderes piacentini, Palaeoncoderes eocenicus, Prolamioides brunneus n. sp., Monohammus orientalis n. sp.
"Palaeoncoderes piacentinii n. sp." = Palaeoncoderes piacentini Piton 1940 longhorned beetle Coll. Piton 525
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"Ancylochira octomaculata n. sp." = Buprestis octomaculata, Ancylochira metallica n. sp., "Eurythyrea viridis n. sp." = Buprestis viridis, Eurythyrea micropunctata n. sp., Psiloptera vermiculata n. sp., Anthaxia ventricosa n. sp., "Anthaxia biimpressa n. sp." = Anthaxia eocenica, Buprestites lineatocollis n. sp., Stigmodera unicolor n. sp., Chrysochroa punctata n. sp., Ancylochira striatopunctata n. sp., Polybothris primordialis n. sp., "Lampra gautieri" = Lamprodila gautieri, "Psiloptera (Lampetis) aurostriata" = Lamprodila gautieri, Ancylochira violaceocyanescens n. sp., Ancylochira pinguis n. sp., Iridotaenia hovassei n. sp.
"Ancylochira octomaculata n. sp." = Buprestis octomaculata Piton 1940 jewel beetle Coll. Piton 85, 86
"Psiloptera (Lampetis) aurostriata" = Lamprodila gautieri Bruyant 1902 jewel beetle Coll. Piton 400, 401
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Semiotus menatensis n. sp., "Adelocera jungi n. sp." = Lacon jungi
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"Zonabris immaculatus n. sp." = Cainomerga immaculata
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Euchroma arvernica n. sp.
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Phryganea nigripennis n. sp.
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Prodontocerum ligniticum n. gen. n. sp.
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